Aluminum storm windows, glazing

Greetings, I belong to a little brick bungalow in the midwest US, built in

1954, poured-concrete foundation.

Original aluminum windows with inside pane, screen, and storm pane. I've not seen any identifying marks on them, and can't tell how/if they dis-assemble.

Is there any way to determine who made them and how they dis-assemble?

The glaze on about half the windows is shot (peeling, etc). The old glaze looks to be hard as rock. If the old glaze were to be replaced, how to remove the old without breaking window panes, etc?

Thx, Peetie

Reply to
Peetie Wheatstraw
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Heat gun.

Reply to
tom

Heat guns will work, but are terribly slow if you are cautious about glass breakage. I have used a big old electric soldering iron (very hard to find these days) with the tip filed to fit the glazing channel. Keeping well away from the glass with the iron got the job done with no breakage. Check these NG archives on the subject...there may be other techniques.

Joe

Reply to
Joe

On all of my windows, I did it very carefully with a really sharp chisel.

Reply to
dicko

I'm no expert, but I did reputty my 1960 wood windows a couple years ago. Lots of tedious hours with sharp pointed objects, trying to get a corner started so I could get under stuck areas and pry. The first few windows ended up looking like crap, but by the end I could produce a fairly decent looking tapered bead. And it all seems to have held up so far. I meant to take off the storms, and get in there and clean and paint the window frames and new putty this past summer, but never got a round tuit.

Now that I think about it, I wish I would have bought one of those oversize Dremel clones and a box of the pine-cone-looking deburring tips for it. The tools I used looked like oversize dental tools, so an oversize dental drill probably would have worked as well. That would probably work on metal frames pretty well- just remember to wear a dust mask and goggles, and have a way to get the dust off you before you go inside. IIRC, old putty contains lead. (somebody will be along in a moment to correct me on that, probably.) Do one window at a time, and stop when you start getting tired- when you start hurrying is when you slip and break things.

-- aem sends, trying not to think about all the other half-done chores and projects around here....

Reply to
aemeijers

I removed tons of old dry putty from wood and metal sash as part of my work for several years. My technique was very simple and required no heat or power tools. I used a quality linoleum hook knife like a Red Devil, and a lightweight 10 oz hammer. The idea was fracture the putty loose by getting the point of the knife down into the putty to just where it contacts the sash and then rotating the somewhat flexible knife parallel and feeling for just the right amount of hammer blow to break off, often substantial chunks of putty. I kinda can compare it to shattering a tempered glass car window with one of those spring loaded pointy thingies. I learned this elegant little trick from an old time glazer and it works like a charm but........it requires taking the time to get the 'feel'

Hope this helps

LA

Reply to
curly'q

Thanks to all and particularly aemeijers and "curly'q".

Obviously there are differing ways to approach the job, which I can't start 'till spring anyway.

One last Q: anybody know what they commonly used back around 1954? Mine looks like glaze with some kinda finish coat. Finish coat is blistered and peeled, underneath it looks chalky on the surface but still bonding solidly to the pane edges. Any possibility of just scraping off the loose stuff and replacing it with without removing all the old glaze?

Thx, Peetie

Reply to
Peetie Wheatstraw

That's what I would try myself: you have nothing to lose with this approach. Sounds like you could just prime with oil and paint the original glaze if that's what you're saying is still bonding well. It would be a lot cheaper for sure!

Reply to
KLS

One way to do it is to remove all the loose stuff, baste the glazing with a thin coat of boiled linseed oil, which works like a primer and sealer, then tool on Dap 33 with a putty knife. Often you can get a veener coat on the existing putty, and that along with the putty filling in the rest, it can appear very tidy and look like you reglazed the entire sash.

LA

Reply to
curly'q

How long might it take to dry? Any idea?

I am guessing this (or very similar) is my best bet. Removing all the old glaze would likely break my back (already in bad shape).

Many Thanks, Peetie

Reply to
Peetie Wheatstraw

My experience with linseed oil is that it takes quite a while to dry. Why don't you ask a real paint store about the difference among 3 products: the linseed oil (truly wonderful), a traditional oil-based primer, and the new quick-drying (one hour I've been told, wow!) oil-based primers. Do that, and then you ought to be able to determine the product you want to use. If it were me, I would probably go with either the linseed oil or the traditional oil.

Reply to
KLS

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